A tattooed Florida man tried to convince police that “there’s nothing wrong with drugs” after they found multiple bags of meth hidden in his underwear during a strip search last week.
Thomas Carpenter, 41, was initially pulled over by deputies for a suspected traffic violation on March 18, but they soon discovered evidence of drug use inside his car — with two children and an unidentified woman also present, as announced by the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday.
vehicle. Putnam County Sheriff’s Office
Authorities found a bag full of drug paraphernalia, marijuana, and possible methamphetamine in the car, according to the sheriff’s office.
During the interaction with Carpenter, he struggled to stay awake and appeared to be drifting in and out of consciousness.
The female passenger informed deputies that they had both smoked marijuana in the car shortly before being pulled over. Neither adult had medical marijuana cards in their possession at the time, as per the police.
The woman was released, but Carpenter was arrested and taken to Putnam County Jail. In his mugshot, he appeared solemn with his heavily tattooed face.
During a physical search at the station, deputies discovered 11 small, tied sandwich bags containing a crystal-like substance hidden in the front of Carpenter’s underwear, as reported by the sheriff’s office.
The substance tested positive as methamphetamine and weighed approximately 322.1 grams.
Despite his claims, Carpenter was charged with amphetamine trafficking or methamphetamine 14 grams or over, possession of marijuana with intent to sell or deliver, two counts of possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, smuggling contraband into a county detention facility, and three counts of drug paraphernalia.
Carpenter was released from the state prison system in December 2024 after completing a three-year sentence for charges including battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence, and fleeing a law enforcement officer.
Deputies forwarded a copy of last week’s arrest report to the Department of Children and Families due to the presence of two children in the car at the time of Carpenter’s arrest.
